Today is the 31st of January 2009. One year has passed since 31 January last year, and it has passed rather quickly. If I remembered correctly, it was Thursday last year.

Went down to Mandai with Jean, xj, siling, yx, sam, reb, rq, eq in the late morning to visit. Then, went around to our own relatives' plaques to visit. The Christian block is very empty. It hasn't even used up half of it's 1st (out of 3 floors) floor. Compared to the Buddhist side, that place is already filled to the end of the third floor. I still don't know why xjls wanted to be placed at the Buddhist side. Whenever I'm at Mandai, I think about the shortness of life. Regarding my brief analysis of the two blocks above, from the Christian perspective, it would be a reflection of how many people weren't saved, and how many might have been. The blocks just look too contrasting.

Then, had lunch together at amkhub before going to church for tf CNY activity - bai nian. We went to the Chinese students' house first, the zlds's, then azds's house, followed by our last stop, yx's house. My level of alertness was like an x^3 graph. Got sleepy after lunch, then awake at zlds's house, then alert for half the time at azds's house, and eventually in a sleep-state on the bus to yx's house. And of course, wide awake for dinner there. The yu sheng was really quite nice, and not forgetting the other stuff too.

CNY is a time of the year I always look forward to. Not just the red packets, but more importantly, the reunion. Maybe I'm just more family orientated, but it's always fun.

And another observation this week, music people are really comical. Just watching others choose what and who to do with for o level practical is quite funny (funny).

Took height and weight last week. I grew by 2cm, err, vertically. Weight is still around the same. Jean hasn't reported any good news to me yet.

An amazing thing happened last week. I was doing violin practice as usual in my room. Then suddenly, I heard violin-like sounds coming from my next-door-neighbour, Jean. I thought I was hallucinating the sounds (influence from Musicophillia) and listened a bit more. Then, I ran out of my room and chionged into Jean's room like her room was some bomb shelter. True enough, she was doing her scales. It had been months since I heard her play her violin (ok, apart from having to play at church). It was such a joyous yet shocking occasion. I later learnt that she had SYF audition the next Wednesday. Believe it or not, she was complaining and promising she would try her best not to get in. Then one fine day, she suddenly starts practicing for the SYF audition. I wonder which part of her brain got screwed too tightly. I can't really imagine how she managed to survive her cca without doing violin practice. In fact, she never practices cca pieces at home. In the end, she did get into the SYF ensemble. So we are now next door neighbours, competing in the SYF. Sigh..

I like Mozart's music because of the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star piece, but I don't like him for his other stuff. Initially, I thought the concerto was easy and it would be better than the rest of my pieces. But then, of course, it turned out the other way round. Now that I know the notes well, the technique becomes very difficult. My teacher can just spend the whole lesson correcting how almost every note/chord should be played. His music has so many minute details that I have something to occupy my mind for every bar (except bar rests). I don't know how to describe further, but it's just torturing to play precisely, and with style.

My ears were quite tortured yesterday when the tuning guy came to tune our piano. He's quite old. He worked as a piano tuner for 30 years. But anyway, for slightly more than an hour, I just kept hearing the piano being played, a few notes at a time. It was quite out of tune but I must admit my ears felt much better after the piano was tuned. I also realised that tuning a piano is like tuning a violin. First tuning one note, then moving on to a double stop 5th apart. Then octave. Too bad a piano has 88 strings. Very tedious.

I was randomly plucking strings on my violin when I discovered a rather good chord progression. Practically, it sounds good. But theoretically, I don't know what I'm playing. If anyone can find out, tell me. First, hold the violin in "guitar" position. Then pluck through the strings once each, starting from G - D - A - E. ( ) means fill in notes after playing the last E. basically, D, but can just improvise along that line. Time signature is 4/4.

Chord 1: In order of GDAE, C# - D - A - E- (A string: da)

Chord 2: A - D - A - E (A string: d)

Chord 3: B - D - A - E (A string: d, then G string: a)

Chord 4: G - D - A - E (f# e d) [I suspect chord 3 and 4 is an imperfect cadence]

Then, a rather interesting sounding chord, Bb - D - A - E (d c# d)

No prizes for guessing though.

My dad got an iPhone from his company. Maybe mac delivered too many. Now, Microsoft vs. Mac at home is at a draw. But this is another reason why I want to work for Singtel next time.

Happy Chinese New Year to anyone reading this, or me!

The Sec 4 camp was quite good, and memorable. It's inspiring, but don't know how long I can make that last. Apart from study skills (teaching how to memorise, mind maps, speed read etc), they also focused on the attitude side. Like, forgiving others, self esteem and respecting parents. My speed reading skill has some improvement, but I was still one of those who dragged the group behind in terms of the speed reading race. The trainers specialised in different areas - study skills, speed reading and psycho-ing. Day 1 was relaxing, and quite entertaining. Day 2 was worse in the afternoon. Day 3, most of the people were already traumatised from Day 2, so I would consider it as bad. I'm typing it in terms of emotional torture/expression. I think the most important lesson I learnt would be to live life in a way which I won't have to end up regretting. Example, make sure I say a sincere "bye" to my parents, cus I'll never know when it will be the last.

I have a feeling my blog is monitered by my parents, and I think, grandmother. Well, if they happen to read this, I have this to type to them: I care about you

The First Post of 2009

The countdown yesterday. We reached church around 4.30pm. Jean and I set up PA system in 3B. The rest were doing decos, Jacky was rehearsing the ppt presentation. The PA system is quite confusing. There's this cupboard, with wires coiled up everywhere. So you have to look at the heads and tails of them to make out which ones are for what. Thankfully, we found every wire we needed. Then, we had to find out which tail to plug into the sound system. There's this mixer thingy with so many holes. After some trial and error, we managed to cram in the wires. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, 3D. Then we had to tape and coil up the wires leading to the temp speakers so that people don't trip and fall just before the new year. jean and I took around 1.5 hours doing that stuff.

At 6.30, we all stopped work and went opposite to eat at macs. We spent most of the time laughing. It took us so long to eat cus someone would have to say something very funny, then the food is still stuck in the mouth, but then need to laugh. So you can imagine the torture. The nugget or burger bobbing up and down as we laugh.

Then, went back to church and started to relax. We searched some funny youtube videos and since the laptop and projector were connected, it was big screen plus surround sound. Guo feng and Bryan had a hard time rehearsing their song leading. Jian ling, jasmine, jean, shermaine and I were continuing laughing part 2, except increasing in intensity.

The place was decorated with candles in aluminium foil boats. They were placed on the floor, along the chairs. When the lights went off, it looked very nice. The bad thing, when the lights were on, people forgot there were candles and started kicking them. So the wax spilled out and we had to keep shovelling wax off the ground. The when Jean runs past, the light dies and we have to relight. I was helping block wind when Jean was relighting. Then I think her hand caught fire or something and she jumped up. The the lighter touched my arm and she didnt let it off till a second later. My arm touched the hot metal part and got burned. First it was just a burning sensation. Then it was painful, ok that's about the same. Then it swelled, then formed a blister. Today, the blister isn't painful anymore, but it is itchy. I realised that I've had a long chain of injuries since dunno when.

Head extension - another head extension - forgot wat else.. - fell into drain - tripped over jean - closed a stand on my finger - burnt my arm..

One accident always has to occur while the previous injury is recovering. That's why I'm almost mentally prepared.

The actual countdown service went relatively smoothly.

I don't want the holiday to end yet. Arhh..